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<title>you just need a better life than this (you need something i could never give) by toyhdgehog</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28842006">you just need a better life than this (you need something i could never give)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/toyhdgehog/pseuds/toyhdgehog'>toyhdgehog</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, F/F, Ghosts, Hurt/Comfort, Possession, Post-Episode: s07e22 Chosen, Psychological Trauma, Reunions, Sharing a Bed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 14:16:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,462</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28842006</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/toyhdgehog/pseuds/toyhdgehog</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>fake water all across the road<br/>once more now the night is done</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Sunnydale's gone, and Faith is being haunted by the ghosts of her past- literally. So she does the unthinkable.</p>
<p>She asks for help.</p>
<p>-- </p>
<p>set about 2 years post chosen. i wrote this whole thing in like an hour so apologies if its messy or not paced well</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Faith Lehane/Buffy Summers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>you just need a better life than this (you need something i could never give)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i will update this is our house at some point i promise</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait-" Buffy sits up rapidly, sending her head spinning. When she recovers, she whips her head around to Willow. "</span>
  <span class="s2">Faith's</span>
  <span class="s1"> coming?" Willow's face contorts into a sheepish smile and Buffy glares at her.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Buffy lays back down and buries her face in her hands. "Faith is coming, and you didn't tell me." Willow practically jumps up, ready to defend herself. "She- she needs help! Witchy-like help." </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Buffy's eyebrows cock up. "She asked you for help." Willow grits her teeth. "Well, not exactly- but- but she mentioned that she was being haunted-" "I'm sorry, </span>
  <span class="s2">haunted?</span>
  <span class="s1">" Willow nods. "Yeah. By the ghost of the Mayor." Buffy's eyes widen. "Oh. Not good."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Willow nods. "She's gonna be here tomorrow. I told her she could sleep on the couch." Buffy groans but agrees. "As long as she doesn't bother the little slayers, we're good." Willow smiles, almost knowingly, and leaves the room.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">--</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Faith comes the next day with hardly anything- a bag with an outfit or two and her phone. Her eyes are twitchy and she looks like she hasn't slept in days, and Buffy frowns when she sees her.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She walks into the big house and Tara greets her, bringing her into the kitchen and offering her something to eat. She hesitates but nods, sitting down at the island.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Buffy makes the executive decision to go down and see her, and Faith comes to life when she catches a glance of Buffy. "B. I didn't think you would come down to see me."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Something shifts in Buffy's stomach and she looks away quickly. "Uh, yeah. Figured it would be the polite thing to do as your host- or, uh, friend."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Faith smiles, softly. "Friend, huh?" Her eyes suddenly go cold and she slouches, and Buffy frantically rushes to her. "Hey, hey, Faith, what's up?" Buffy cradles Faith's cheeks in her hands and a pit forms in her stomach when she realizes how cold the brunette is.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You don't care about me," Faith mumbles, refusing Buffy's eye contact. Her eyebrows furrow, almost angrily. "You </span>
  <span class="s2">never</span>
  <span class="s1"> cared about me. You left me to die."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Faith's eyes start to shine again and she slumps into Buffy's shoulder, unconscious. "Willow? Willow!" Buffy frantically calls, and the witch comes running in.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What happened to her?" the redhead asks, and Buffy shakes her head. "I don't- I don't know, we were talking, and, and then she looked like she was </span>
  <span class="s2">possessed-</span>
  <span class="s1">" Buffy goes cold. "Oh God."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Tara steps forward, her eyebrows furrowed in worry. "Possession is pretty serious. We have to get rid of this thing, and soon. Buffy, do you think you could get her onto the couch?" Buffy nods and picks her up, but pauses. "I'm- I'm going to bring her to my bed. It's probably better for her."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Buffy carries the other slayer up the stairs with ease and places her on her own bed gently, smoothing down the blankets. She turns back and forth towards the door a few times before settling on the edge of the bed, tapping her foot.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She feels a wave of tiredness wash over her and sighs, giving in and laying next to Faith, who's still unconscious. She tries her best to keep her distance, and tiredness washes over her.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">--</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She's drowning.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Her lungs are full, and she gasps desperately for air, before realizing that she's suddenly above water.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Not water. Dirt. Her fingernails are dirty and her hair is ruined. Hair. It's brown- which is strange. It hasn't been brown since she was a kid. She's suddenly painfully aware of something in her gut, and looks down, seething in pain.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Faith's knife.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She's thrown out of the body (Her body? Faith's?) and is an onlooker, watching from afar. A different her, one bloodied and angry, emerges from the woods, and the person, who she now recognizes definitively as Faith, scrambles away, but falls. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The other her reaches forward and takes the knife out, and Faith screams. Buffy's blood runs cold and the other her raises the knife in the air, before driving it back into Faith, into her chest.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Buffy jolts awake, drenched in sweat, and hears a screech from beside her. Faith's still sleeping and Buffy shakes her awake, frantically. Faith sits up, tears running down her hot face, and grasps at her abdomen, gasping for air.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Buffy notices red seeping through her stark white sheets and quickly removes them and Faith's hand from her abdomen, pulling up her shirt.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sure enough, there's a wound there- right where Faith's scar would be. "</span>
  <span class="s2">Shit</span>
  <span class="s1">." Buffy panics, pressing down on the wound, and Faith hisses. "Just- fuck, just stay still-" Footsteps come rushing up the stairs and Xander throws the door open, before taking a step back in shock.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Holy shit, Buffy, what happened?" Buffy looks up at Xander, realizing that she's crying when she can hardly see him. "I don't know, I was dreaming, and then-" Buffy feels Faith slump over and her heart skips a beat. "Oh God, </span>
  <span class="s2">Faith.</span>
  <span class="s1">"</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next few minutes are a blur, and Buffy finds herself pacing around the living room, surrounded by concered slayers. Tara touches her shoulder and she whips around. "Where is she? How is she? Is she alive?" Tara soothes Buffy and Buffy lets out a stuttering breath.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She's fine. She's awake, the wound wasn't that deep. She probably just passed out from shock. She's in the bathroom washing up- Willow and I are working on the ghost problem." Buffy nods and immediately rushes up to the bathroom, opening the door slowly.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Faith's sitting on the edge of the tub, bandages wrapped around her wound. She looks up at Buffy, and looks almost scared. Buffy kneels down in front of her and tries to catch her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're not going to hurt me. I know that." Buffy nods and Faith lifts her head up, making eye contact with Buffy. "This doesn't feel real. You being this close to me. Still feels like a dream."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Buffy's breath hitches and she inches just barely closer, resting her hands on Faith's hips. "And if I kissed you right now," Buffy starts, and hears Faith's heart rate speed up, "would that feel real?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Faith nods ever so slightly and Buffy cranes her neck up, pressing her lips to Faith's softly. It's not like either of them imagined it would be. It's soft, and it's kind, and it's forgiving. Faith's shoulders ease and Buffy leans into the kiss more, sighing contently.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Something shifts in Faith and she pushes Buffy to the ground, straddling her and grabbing her neck. Buffy looks terrified at first, but sees the blank look in Faith's eyes, and knows it's not her.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Faith," she chokes out. "Faith, you don't have to be the bad guy. Not anymore." Faith pushes down harder and Buffy coughs hoarsely. "I do. I have to. Because you're the good guy, and I'm </span>
  <span class="s2">nothing</span>
  <span class="s1">. And I'm nothing like you. I'm the bad guy! Don't you understand? I'm bad! I'm evil!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Buffy pushes up, slamming Faith against the tub. "I don't want to hurt you," she growls, and Faith grins. "Too late." Faith tries to push back but Buffy holds her there, tightening her grip. Willow throws open the door and starts reciting something in Latin, but Buffy barely pays attention. Her eyes are on Faith and Faith only.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Faith, listen to me. I know we have a lot of things to work out. I know- I know that, that I hurt you, and you hurt me, too, and we have to work through that and talk about it- but you're</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">hurting, and I want to help, and I think I need you here. I need you here, Faith." The color slowly fades back to Faith's eyes as Willow finishes her spell, the lights going out and a cold washing over the room.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I need you."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Faith gasps in a breath and starts coughing, leaning into Buffy's shoulder. "B- Buffy, I'm sorry, oh God, Buffy-" Buffy pulls her in and rubs her back, trying to sooth her, and Faith's breath stutters. "It's okay. I'm here, you're safe. He's gone."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He's gone," Faith sighs, and eases into Buffy's arms. Willow backs out silently, and they're left alone on the cold tile. "Stay here with me. Please," Buffy whispers. Faith hums. "I dunno, B. Cleveland's a long way from Boston."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Buffy pauses, but Faith shrugs. "Never really liked it there, anyways. Too many things remind me of my parents." She pulls away from Buffy's grip and kisses her, softly. "Let's try it out. Let's try </span>
  <span class="s2">this</span>
  <span class="s1"> out," she emphasizes, gesturing between the two of them.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Buffy nods. "That- that would be nice. I know you're not usually commitment-girl, but-" "But it's different. It's you." Buffy smiles. "It's you, B. It's always you."</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>reading this back i kinda hate the way i paced this but whatever! thank u sm for reading &lt;3 kudos and comments always appreciated.</p>
<p>follow me on twitter!! @toyhdgehog</p></blockquote></div></div>
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